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A Pill So People With Celiac Disease Can Eat Freely? – 2/11/2013

February 11, 2013 -- For people with celiac disease, everyday foods such as bread, pizza crust and muffins are potential enemies. But scientists anticipate that some day a simple pill could help prevent the digestive upsets caused by ingesting the gluten in wheat, rye or barley products.

The only current treatment for celiac disease is a gluten-free diet. A new study, however, offers some potential for hope. Researchers have re-engineered a naturally occurring enzyme, kumamolisin-As, to break down gluten in the stomach into much smaller protein pieces, called peptides.